WLAN testing using an RF abstraction layer

Abstract

A technique for testing wireless-local-area-network (WLAN) infrastructure is described. In particular, a radio-frequency abstraction layer (RFAL) in a physical instance of an electronic device is used to simulate the physical layer communication hardware and radio channels. RFAL allows frames in initial packets that are compatible with a WLAN communication protocol (such as an IEEE 802.11 standard) to be encapsulated in the data-link layer into additional packets that are compatible with a network communication protocol (such as an IEEE 802.3 standard). These additional packets can include information that characterizes transmission of the packet through a simulated radio-frequency environment so that the software stack associated with a physical or virtual instance of an electronic device can be exercised as if the packet had been received over a wireless connection. Then, the additional packets can be communicated via Ethernet (i.e., without radio-frequency communication) among virtual instances of access points, clients and/or WLAN controllers.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An electronic device, comprising:
 a network interface circuit; 
 a processor coupled to the network interface circuit; and 
 a memory, coupled to the processor, storing program instructions configured to be executed by the processor, wherein, when executed by the processor, the program instructions cause the electronic device to perform one or more operations comprising:
 receiving, at the network interface circuit, a first media access control (MAC) layer protocol data unit (MPDU) associated with one or more virtual electronic devices or one or more physical electronic devices using a wired medium communication protocol; 
 de-encapsulating, from the first MPDU, a second MPDU compatible with a wireless communication protocol and additional information that characterizes simulated wireless communication of the second MPDU through a radio-frequency environment so that it appears as if the second MPDU was received by the electronic device using the wireless communication protocol; and 
 providing the second MPDU to a MAC layer associated with the wireless communication protocol. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein, prior to the providing, the one or more operations comprise modifying the second MPDU based at least in part on the additional information, so that the second MPDU incorporates characteristics of the wireless communication through the radio-frequency environment. 
     
     
       3. The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein providing the second MPDU to the MAC layer bypasses a physical layer associated with the wireless communication protocol. 
     
     
       4. The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more virtual electronic devices are simulated during testing. 
     
     
       5. The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the additional information that characterizes the wireless communication is associated with a simulated radio-frequency environment. 
     
     
       6. The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the second MPDU is de-encapsulated without regard to a type of MPDU. 
     
     
       7. The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the wireless communication protocol comprises an Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11 communication protocol. 
     
     
       8. The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the wired communication protocol comprises an Ethernet communication protocol. 
     
     
       9. The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more operations comprise establishing secure communication via a connection with the one or more virtual electronic devices or the one or more physical electronic devices. 
     
     
       10. The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more operations comprise establishing a data tunnel with the one or more virtual electronic devices or the one or more physical electronic devices. 
     
     
       11. The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more operations comprise exercising and testing a software stack in the electronic device based at least in part on the second MPDU. 
     
     
       12. The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein, instead of providing the second MPDU to the MAC layer, the one or more operations comprise:
 providing the second MPDU to a physical layer associated with the wireless communication protocol; and 
 providing, from the physical layer, the second MPDU using the wireless communication protocol. 
 
     
     
       13. The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the first MPDU originates from a location outside a radio-frequency range of the electronic device. 
     
     
       14. The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the network interface circuit is configured to communicate over at least one wired medium. 
     
     
       15. The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the additional information comprises one of: pathloss, data rate, modulation and coding scheme (MCS), signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), received signal-strength information (RSSI) and a phase angle of arrival. 
     
     
       16. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium for use in conjunction with an electronic device, the computer-readable storage medium storing program instructions, wherein, when executed by the electronic device, the program instructions cause the electronic device to perform one or more operations comprising:
 receiving, at a network interface circuit in the electronic device, a first media access control (MAC) layer protocol data unit (MPDU) associated with one or more virtual electronic devices or one or more physical electronic devices using a wired medium communication protocol; 
 de-encapsulating, from the first MPDU, a second MPDU compatible with a wireless communication protocol and additional information that characterizes simulated wireless communication of the second MPDU through a radio-frequency environment so that it appears as if the second MPDU was received by the electronic device using the wireless communication protocol; and 
 providing the second MPDU to a MAC layer associated with the wireless communication protocol. 
 
     
     
       17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 16 , wherein, prior to the providing, the one or more operations comprise modifying the second MPDU based at least in part on the additional information, so that the second MPDU incorporates characteristics of the wireless communication through the radio-frequency environment. 
     
     
       18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 16 , wherein providing the second MPDU to the MAC layer bypasses a physical layer associated with the wireless communication protocol. 
     
     
       19. A method for providing a second media access control (MAC) layer protocol data unit (MPDU), comprising:
 by an electronic device: 
 receiving, at a network interface circuit in the electronic device, a first media access control (MAC) layer protocol data unit (MPDU) associated with one or more virtual electronic devices or one or more physical electronic devices using a wired medium communication protocol; 
 de-encapsulating, from the first MPDU, the second MPDU compatible with a wireless communication protocol and additional information that characterizes simulated wireless communication of the second MPDU through a radio-frequency environment so that it appears as if the second MPDU was received by the electronic device using the wireless communication protocol; and 
 providing the second MPDU to a MAC layer associated with the wireless communication protocol. 
 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 19 , wherein, prior to the providing, the method comprises modifying the second MPDU based at least in part on the additional information, so that the second MPDU incorporates characteristics of the wireless communication through the radio-frequency environment.